A recent student of the First Step Shooting Los Angeles County CCW Course had a bit of difficulty during his qualification. He brought two brand new firearms to shoot with, and even though he passed his qual with flying colors, the slide on his primary gun got stuck while cycling, and the trigger on his second gun would stick after every pull. His grip was on point, so what was the problem? The firearm was dirty, and needed to be lubed.

Before taking a new gun to the range, take the time to clean and lubricate it. Guns are first test fired by the manufacturer, and then shipped and stored, at which time they could collect dust and debris, and become very dry. Clean and lube your firearm, and you'll find that your it will indeed perform better.

It's simple.

First you'll need a soft cleaning mat to rest your gun and keep your table clean. Companies like Tekmat make a large variety of cleaning mats. There are also plenty of options for gun cleaning and lubing. I happen to be a big fan of CLP all-in-one cleaners.

After reviewing the owner's manual that came with your firearm, you should be ready to take apart your gun and give a good clean & lube. Careful not to use too much of either, because you don't want a wet, sticky pistol. And you don't want to develop any rust on your firearm.

Follow this advice, and you'll find shooting your new gun to be a smooth and more enjoyable experience!

See you at the range!